Search and Rescue CISC1003 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz9sMor67IU https://www.israelrescuecoalition.org/israel-search-and-rescue-units/ Search and Rescue • Search and Rescue Robots Urban Search and Rescue • After major disasters/attacks, rescue teams face challenges: • Rescue teams work in dangerous and unknown environments • To save lives and to recover the damage. • Assessing the situation correctly plays a key role during these operations. http://www.technokontrol.com/en/products/elite-search-rescue.php Urban Search and Rescue • Success of search and rescue, recovery strategies require: • Reliable information, good organization and efficient use of resources. • Reliable information is hard to acquire when infrastructure (communications, roads, hospitals) damage is high. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1566253513000687 Disasters and Attacks • Earthquakes • Hurricanes • Tsunami • Terrorist Attacks Disasters and Attacks https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/mexico-earthquake-death-toll-climbs-rescuers-race-find-survivors- rubble-n803301 Problems faced during rescue operations • Time constraints (limited time): • According to statistics, most of the victims were rescued during the first 72 hours after an earthquake. • Time may vary but response time is important in all types of disasters. • Hostile environment: • Disasters may initiate fires, building collapses and other incidents • May compromise the security of people in the area. http://fluidsurveys.com/fluidsurveys-v5-1-feature-formatting http://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/473345/airmen-soldiers-sharpen-search-and-rescue-skills-together/ Problems faced during rescue operations • Most of the decisions must be made with incomplete information. These may include: • Location of the victims • Reliability of existing Infrastructure: Roads, communication infrastructure etc. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FEMA_Urban_Search_and_Rescue_Task_Force Can Robots help? • Technologically, yes. Although the robotics research is still premature to develop fully autonomous robots, teleoperated robots were used in several disasters so far. • Virginia mine explosion • Hurricane Katrina • World Trade Center https://www.army.mil/article/48456/robots_to_rescue_wounded_on_battlefield Can Robots help? • Technology is there but more money and commitment is needed to use robots in disaster areas. • According to William “Red” Whittaker, team leader who won 2nd and 3rd place in DARPA Grand Challenge 2005, http://www.nbcnews.com/id/4482849/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/robotic-race-gets-rocky-start/ Rescue Robots *https://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-03/six-robots-could-shape-future-earthquake-search-and-rescue#page-4 *https://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/industrial-robots/japan-earthquake-more-robots-to-the-rescue Robots help in disasters • Robots Detonating Bombs: • http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/ultra-orthodox-jews-watch-as-an-israeli-police-robot-news-photo/671095#ultraorthodox-jews-watch- as-an-israeli-police-robot-carries-a-mobile-picture-id671095 • https://www.dreamstime.com/editorial-stock-image-military-police-robot-used-to-safely-move-detonate-bombs-beer-sheva-israel-november-mines- enters-vehicle-image62763099 Robots’ potential uses in rescue efforts • Utilization in risky and dangerous tasks. • Locating victims • Mapping of the disaster area https://www.army.mil/article/48456/robots_to_rescue_wounded_on_battlefield https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz9sMor67IU http://www.allonrobots.com/rescue-robots.html Robots’ potential uses in rescue efforts • Surveillance of the environment for fires, potential gas leaks and structural changes. • Carrying water, food, medicine, oxygen etc. to victims before they can be reached. https://newatlas.com/thermite-robot/24445/ Utilizing robots in Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) - Problems • State of the research is still in relative infancy. • Robots are not fully autonomous • Most of the current rescue robots cannot be used without considerable training. http://robohub.org/robots-to-the-rescue/ https://www.wired.com/2015/06/stop-laughing-clumsy-humanoid-robots Utilizing robots in Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) - Problems • Using multiple robots will increase efficiency of tasks. • In theory • However, cooperation between robots becomes an issue • Hybrid rescue teams with human assistance seems to be a good approach • Requires interaction mechanism between humans and robots. https://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2013/3/161193-exploration-and-mapping-with-autonomous- robot-teams/abstract http://www.giannidicaro.com/robotics.html Research on Rescue Robots • Low level robotic functions: • Perception, locomotion • Path Planning • Mapping and Localization • Multi-Robot Coordination • Task and resource allocation • Human Robot Interaction • Others… RoboCup • Academic initiative to promote research in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. • Holds an annual international competition • Through appealing but formidable challenges. • Provides a common platform where scientists and engineers compare their results • Benefit from each others experience. http://www.robots.nu/robocup-2016-in-leipzig/ RoboCup • Consists of three main leagues: • Soccer: “Robot Soccer World Cup” • Humanoid, mid-size, small-size, 4-legged, simulation) • Rescue: RoboCupRescue • Simulation, USAR, USARSim • Junior: ”RoboCupJunior” • Soccer, Rescue, Dance RoboCup Videos • Soccer league • Junior Rescue: • Rescue league: • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AOID93y0nw • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAAZwQVFYRk RoboCup Rescue Simulation • Objective: • Provide a platform to work on high level interaction and coordination mechanisms • Among large number of agents. • Environment: • A part of a city where an earthquake is simulated • Causing fires, building collapses with trapped victims. • Environment is dynamic, communication is noisy RoboCup Rescue Simulation • The rectangles represent the buildings: • gray: intact • yellow: on fire • The circles represent agents: • Fire Brigade (red), • Police Force (yellow) • Ambulance Team (white) • Civilians (green) • 3D simulation: • 3D Simulation http://miners.cs.umn.edu/ RoboCup USAR • Objective: • Develop robots that would search and locate victims in a cluttered area • Mostly, focuses on developing or improving low level robot capabilities • such as perception and motion. RoboCup USAR • An arena is designed for competitions • Housed in a large room • contains obstacles, stairs and test dummies for victims. RoboCup USAR Robots performing search and rescue tasks in confined arena, built to represent similar problems in a disaster environment. RoboCup USAR Simulation • Objective is to provide an intermediary between USAR and city level simulation. • Built on Unreal Tournament game engine • Robots and arenas are modeled for testing programs. • Suitable for researchers with limited means to afford expensive equipment. RoboCup Junior Rescue • A project-oriented educational initiative • Designed to introduce RoboCup to high schools and undergraduates. • Engages robots to identify victims quickly and accurately • Within recreated disaster scenarios • Varying in complexity • line following on a flat surface, negotiating paths through obstacles on uneven terrain, etc. RoboCup Junior Rescue Robocup Junior Rescue event in CUNY-GC 2006 Search and Rescue Robots • Search and Rescue Robots • Top 10 search and rescue robots • Robots in post-disaster recovery Homework: Individual Assessment • Write a report about an article of your choice. A suitable article would be on one of the below topics: • The potential usage or method descriptions about how robots can be used in disaster sites. • General information about a rescue robot or a class of rescue robots. • Your report should contain: • A of an article, including your opinions. • Name of the article and a reference to it. If your article is not online you should attach a copy of it to your report. • NO HANDWRITING! Report should be either send via email or printed out. .